Prof. Nina Nurmila of FoE Redefines Islamic Law for Gender Equity

Prof. Nina Nurmila of FoE Redefines Islamic Law for Gender Equity

January 10, 2024

Contributor: Maroof Ahmed | Editor: Supriyono

UIII.AC.ID, DEPOK - In a profound lecture hosted by the Indonesian Student Association (ANUISA) of Australian National University (ANU), Prof. Nina Nurmila, Dean of the Faculty of Education (FoE) at Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII), delved into the intricate relationship between Islamic law and gender roles, offering a fresh perspective on addressing the escalating divorce rates in Bandung, West Java, through a re-interpretation of Fiqh with an emphasis on gender equality and marital partnership.

Prof. Nurmila began by providing context to her research, which is a continuation of a project started in 2017 with Dr. Rachel Rinaldo and Dr. Eva Nisa. She expressed her gratitude for the support received from various individuals and institutions, including Prof. Greg Fealy and Dr. Sally White, among others, which facilitated her fellowship at ANU. This background set the stage for her insightful analysis of Islamic jurisprudence and its impact on modern societal issues.

Central to her argument was the critique of the traditional gender constructions idealized in Fiqh and Islamic Laws. "Muslims have a large collection of fiqh on marriage, which was adopted in the 1974 Marriage Law and the 1991 Compilation of Islamic Law (Kompilasi Hukum Islam/KHI)," said Prof. Nurmila. She elaborated on how these laws traditionally portray the husband as the family leader and provider, responsible for mahar (dower), nafkah (maintenance), maskan (shelter), and kiswah (clothing), while the wife's role is predominantly domestic.

Prof. Nurmila argued that this traditional framework is increasingly incompatible with contemporary realities. She noted that economic issues are a predominant cause of divorces, with most cases initiated by women due to husbands' inability to fulfill their financial responsibilities.

"Therefore, we need new fiqh and laws that support equal partnership and gender justice," Prof. Nurmila emphasized. She proposed significant revisions to both the Marriage Law and the Compilation of Islamic Law, suggesting the elimination of the notion that the husband is the head of the family and the wife is a housewife, thereby encouraging an egalitarian relationship between spouses.

Prof. Nurmila's argument was further strengthened by real-life examples. She shared interviews with Religious Court Judges and two divorcees, Eli and Ratu (pseudonyms), highlighting the economic strains and unrealistic expectations embedded in traditional marital roles. For instance, Ratu's case illustrated the challenges faced in a marriage where traditional gender roles were rigidly enforced, leading to marital discord and eventual divorce.

In advocating for these changes, Prof. Nurmila also drew upon religious justifications, referencing scholars like Nasaruddin Umar, who distinguish between sex (biology) and gender in the Qur'an. She pointed out that the Qur'an uses different terms for biological sex and gender roles, suggesting that the leader of the family can be either male or female, provided they fulfill certain criteria as stated in the Qur'an. This interpretation opens the door for a more flexible and equitable understanding of family leadership roles, moving away from strictly gendered expectations.

Prof. Nurmila's lecture was not just an academic discourse but a call for a paradigm shift in understanding and practicing Islamic law in the context of contemporary societal challenges. Her emphasis on equal partnership and flexible roles resonates with the broader global discourse on gender equality and justice. Her work is a testament to the dynamic and evolving nature of Islamic jurisprudence and its potential to positively contribute to societal change.

Through her insights, Prof. Nurmila offers a compelling case for rethinking traditional gender roles in Islamic societies, particularly in the context of marital relations and family law, highlighting the need for a re-interpretation of religious texts and laws in response to current social realities.

source: https://www.uiii.ac.id/news/57470/prof-nina-nurmila-redefines-islamic-law-for-gender-equity

by Bambang Sumintono

UIII Daycare received a visit from Madania Progressive Indonesian School Kindergarten Bogor

Monday, January 8, 2023, UIII Daycare received a visit from Madania Progressive Indonesian School Kindergarten, Bogor. This activity was attended by Prof. Nina Nurmila, Ph.D. as The Dean of the Faculty of Education UIII, Daycare Staff, and Staff of the Faculty of Education UIII as well as the Principal and Kindergarten teachers of Madania Progressive Indonesian School, Bogor. The activity began with a visit to the Daycare to see directly how teachers accompany, care for, and educate children as well as see the facilities and infrastructure.

The activity then continued with the socialization of the UIII Daycare program which was held at the Teleconference, Faculty A, UIII. The activity opened with a video showing of the Faculty of Education. During socialization, Ms. Citra Novi Pramudia as UIII Daycare Teacher Coordinator, explained that before teaching and guiding children, teachers must be able to manage emotions, be alert, and be able to read children's social and emotional situations. She explained that the Montessori curriculum consists of Practical Life, Sensory, Language, Math, and Culture. Lesson plans can be in the form of Pretend Play, Presentation, Science Class, Cooking Class, Fun Learning, Read Aloud, Outdoor Activity, Music and Environment. Ms. Alfi Afifah, Head of Madania Secondary School, explained that Madania Kindergarten wanted to create a learning program for the younger siblings of Madania Kindergarten students while waiting for their older siblings to finish studying. Then, Prof. Nina Nurmila, Ph.D. explained that there were positive testimonials from parents who entrusted their children to daycare. She said there was a Child staff who wanted to go to Daycare even though he was with his parents enjoying the New Year holiday.

The activity ended with questions and answers about teaching foreign languages ​​to children. Ms. Citra explained that teaching foreign languages ​​to children can be done by having a special teacher who is entrusted with full use of the foreign language in communicating with children or by determining which days the teacher uses the foreign language and which days the teacher uses the mother tongue.

by Muhammad Sufyan

Lecturer Publication 2023: Bambang Sumintono, Ph.D.

Bambang Sumitono, PhD @deceng (Head of PhD in Education Study Program) and his teams have published book chapters on the established publishers, Routledge and Springer.

The book chapter title, School Leadership and Indonesian Culture: Revealing the local knowledge development in Post New Order Indonesia, published in the book Educational Leadership and Asian Culture: Culturally Sensitive Leadership Practice. This chapter consists of a systematic review of ELAM research in the Indonesian context that appears in the GARUDA database, a knowledge-based system of journal articles in the Indonesian language. This review aims to describe the Indonesian knowledge development in ELAM reflecting the Indonesian culture of school leadership.

Islamic Educational Leadership: Southeast Asia perspectives is one of the book chapters contained in the book Islamic-Based Educational Leadership, Administration & Management: Challenging Expectations through Global Critical Insights. This chapter explains the emerging landscape of educational leadership knowledge based in Southeast Asia region, which usually called as Muslim archipelago. Historical, political and socio-cultural forces forms unique Islamic identity in this region which resulted to different practice and thinking about Islamic educational leadership.

Attraction of Authority: The Indonesian Experience of Educational Decentralization" is a book chapter in the book Education in Indonesia: Critical Perspectives on Equity and Social Justice. This chapter discusses several questions motivated by the fall of the New Order government in 1998 changed the landscape of Indonesian education from a highly centralized system to a decentralized one. With this paradigm shift, district governments received a transfer of power in most public sectors in 2001, including education.

Scan or click the link on the highlight menu to read the news and access the link of the book chapter.

#routledge #springer #education #education_UIII #facultyofeducation #universitasislaminternasionalindonesia

Link:

Sumintono, B., Hariri, H. and Kusumaputri, E.S. (2023). School Leadership and Indonesian Culture: Revealing the local knowledge development in Post New Order Indonesia. In Liu, P. and Thien, L.M. (eds). Educational Leadership and Asian Culture, Implications for Culturally Sensitive Leadership Practice. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Educational-Leadership-and-Asian-Culture-Implications-for-Culturally-Sensitive/Liu-Thien/p/book/9781032213675 

Sumintono, B., Kusumaputri, E.S., Hariri, H. and Juniardi, Y. (2023). Islamic Educational Leadership: Southeast Asia perspectives. In Arar, K., Sawalhi, R., Decuir A., and Amatullah, T. (Eds.). Islamic-Based Educational Leadership, Administration and Management, Challenging Expectations through Global Critical Insights. Routledge.  https://www.routledge.com/Islamic-Based-Educational-Leadership-Administration-and-Management-Challenging/Arar-Sawalhi-DeCuir-Amatullah/p/book/9781032418551

Sumintono, B., Hariri, H., and Izzati, U.A. (2023). Attraction of Authority: The Indonesian Experience of Educational Decentralization. In: Sakhiyya, Z., Wijaya Mulya, T. (eds) Education in Indonesia, Critical Perspectives on Equity and Social Justice. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-1878-2_10

by Bambang Sumintono

Lecturer Publication 2023: Prof. Nina Nurmila, PhD

In collaboration with Dr Rachel Rinaldo and Dr Eva Nisa, Prof. Nina Nurmila, PhD (@nurmilanina - Dean of the Faculty of Education) has published an article with the title "Divorce Narratives and Class Inequalities in Indonesia" on Sage Journal - Journal of Family Issues (Scopus Q1/Web of Scince list).

This paper focuses on the interplay between divorce strategies and socioeconomic differences among Muslim couples. In-depth interviews with 93 Muslim men and women and 19 judges from Islamic courts show that class differences shape distinctive dynamics of divorce among Muslim Indonesians.

Scan the QR code or click the link on the highlight menu to access the full paper.

#scopusQ1#education_UIII
#facultyofeducation #UIII #universitasislaminternasionalindonesia

Link: Nurmila, N., & Windiana, W. (2023). Understanding the Complexities of Child Marriage and  Promoting Education to Prevent Child Marriage in Indramayu, West Java. Ulumuna, 27(2), 823-853. https://doi.org/10.20414/ujis.v27i2.680 

by Bambang Sumintono

Exploring the Depths of Rasch Model with Prof. David Andrich

Exploring the Depths of Rasch Model with Prof. David Andrich

December 12, 2023

Contributor: Maroof Ahmed | Editor: Supriyono

In a public lecture hosted on Dec. 6, 2023, Prof. David Andrich, Emeritus Professor in the Graduate School of Education and Senior Honorary Research Fellow in the Medical School at the University of Western Australia, shared his extensive insights into the Polytomous Rasch Model for Social Measurement, highlighting its pivotal role and enduring relevance in educational assessment and social research.

Organized by the Center for Educational Assessment (Pusmendik), in collaboration with the Indonesian Educational Evaluation Association (HEPI) and the Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII), the event was moderated by Dr. Bambang Sumintono, Head of the Doctoral Program at UIII’s Faculty of Education.

The lecture illuminated the depths of Georg Rasch's work, marking 50 years since Prof. Andrich's scholarly journey began. "It's been a rich 45 years since that seminal 1978 paper, with the implications of Rasch's work for ordered category data continually unfolding," said Prof. Andrich.

Prof. Andrich meticulously outlined the significance of ordered category data within the Rasch Model, emphasizing the need to comprehend its implications thoroughly. "I worked on that for three or four years after my Ph.D. to work out the implications of what Rasch was saying for ordered category data," he said. The dedication to the subject was palpable as he walked the audience through various aspects of the model, from equidistant thresholds to the implications of reverse thresholds.

Moreover, Prof. Andrich highlighted the inherent connection between the Rash Model's ordered thresholds and the concept of randomness in measurement. "The Rash distribution in the model is a discrete form of the normal distribution," he explained. This point is a testament to the model's robustness and seamless integration with traditional measurement principles.

As Prof. Andrich progressed, he underscored the criticality of the model's algebra, which ensures that the comparison between instruments remains independent of the objects of measurement. He noted: "The model is derived from the algebra of this requirement." Prof. Andrich's elucidation of the mathematical underpinnings conveyed a sense of elegance and precision that underlies the Rash Model's framework.

The lecture was a retrospective and a forward-looking reflection on the model's relevance. Prof. Andrich made it clear that understanding the distribution of probabilities within the model is paramount. "This is an example of an item with ten thresholds. These thresholds are not equidistant," Prof. Andrich demonstrated, making the complex concepts accessible to the audience through vivid visualizations and patient explanations.

Another highlight from the lecture was Prof. Andrich’s discussion on the implications of reverse thresholds, a situation where the expected order of threshold values is not maintained, leading to interpretational challenges. "What is the implication of this in this region?" he questioned, pointing to a graph, "If someone happens to be here, this is the distribution." The professor's ability to distill such nuanced details into comprehensible insights was a testament to his expertise.

Prof. David Andrich’s lecture was not merely an academic exercise but a profound exploration of the Rasch Model's foundational principles and their practical applications in educational assessment. His parting wisdom emphasized the necessity for examiners and educators alike to revisit the model's core tenets when faced with data anomalies. The UIII community and its associates were left with much to ponder on the model's capacity to shape educational assessment practices for years to come.

source: https://www.uiii.ac.id/news/57436/exploring-the-depths-of-rasch-model-with-prof-david-andrich

by Bambang Sumintono

Dr. Abdushomad Delivers a Lecture on Learning Organizations at FoE's UIII

Dr. Abdushomad Delivers a Lecture on Learning Organizations at FoE's UIII

December 10, 2023

Contributor: Maroof Ahmed | Editor: Ari Stoltze

DEPOK, UIII.AC.ID - The Faculty of Education (FoE) at Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) hosted a LUNCHTALK with Dr. Muhammad Adib Abdushomad, Head of the Sub-directorate of Islamic Religious Education at the Senior High School Level within the Directorate of Islamic Education, discussing the relevance of learning organizations and their evaluation at the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia (MORA).

Dr. Abdushomad emphasized the importance of transforming educational organizations into learning organizations. He highlighted the necessity of continual expansion of capacity, nurturing new patterns of thinking, setting collective aspirations, and fostering an environment of continuous learning.

Dr. Abdushomad advocated for embracing the five disciplines proposed by Senge: system thinking, personal mastery, mental models, shared vision, and team learning. These elements, he argued, are crucial for the personal growth of educators and students alike, reflecting a deep-seated desire for learning and improvement within the organization.

Furthermore, Dr. Abdushomad underscored the influence of mental models and attitudes within an organization. He noted that these models significantly impact the working dynamics and the overall efficacy of an educational system. He also stressed the importance of a shared vision rooted in commitment and values, arguing that this is essential for the successful operation of an organization like MORA.

The concept of team learning, as presented by Dr. Abdushomad, involves aligning and developing the capacity of a team to achieve its collective goals. This builds on the development of a shared vision and personal mastery, bringing together talented individuals for collective success. Additionally, Dr. Abdushomad touched upon the importance of system thinking, emphasizing the need to understand the interrelationships among key system components while acknowledging the human factor as a critical asset.

In addition, Dr. Abdushomad delved into the current challenges and strategies in knowledge management at MORA. He critiqued the tendency to view knowledge as a product rather than a process, calling for a shift towards a process strategy. This strategy, he suggested, should involve facilitating conversation and exchange of tacit knowledge, hiring qualified personnel capable of tolerating ambiguity and sharing knowledge, and encouraging one-on-one mentoring.

At the end of his lecture, Dr. Abdushomad called for a change in strategy from a product-centric approach to one focused on processes. He urged the need for spaces that enable more effective and efficient knowledge sharing. He also highlighted the need for leaders for change at MORA who can adapt to new ways of working and respond with flexibility and learning-oriented leadership.

Dr. Muhammad Adib Abdushomad’s insights offer a compelling vision for the future of Islamic education. His emphasis on learning organizations, personal mastery, and collective learning aligns with the global shift towards more dynamic, responsive, and collaborative educational models. His call for change and adaptive leadership resonates with the current needs of educational institutions worldwide, particularly in the context of Islamic education, where traditional methods are being reevaluated in light of contemporary challenges and opportunities.

source: https://www.uiii.ac.id/news/57434/dr-abdushomad-delivers-a-lecture-on-learning-organizations-at-uiii

by Bambang Sumintono